Ex-Aide to Ohio Gov Pleads No Contest

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
Associated Press Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- A former top aide to Gov. Bob Taft pleaded no contest Friday to failing to report stays at a coin dealer's Florida home, making him the first person convicted in Ohio's investment scandal.

Brian Hicks, who was Taft's chief of staff before becoming a Statehouse lobbyist, was found guilty and fined $1,000 after entering the plea on a misdemeanor ethics charge.

According to the complaint, filed Thursday, Hicks used the $1.3 million home of coin dealer and prominent GOP donor Tom Noe in Islamorada, Fla., at "less than fair market value" for five nights in March 2002 and four nights in March 2003. Hicks paid $500 for the 2002 stay and $300 for the 2003 stay. Nearby homes rented for $2,000 a week.

In a statement released after his court appearance, Hicks said he still believes he paid fair-market value for the stays but "I regret that there are now concerns that I paid too little."

>>>>snip http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/INVESTMENT_SCANDAL?SITE=MNMAN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-07-29-12-23-39

Brian, Brian!

Click for Brian's photo...
http://toimages.us.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=TO&Date=20050512&Category=SRRARECOINS&ArtNo=305120017&Ref=AR&MaxW=240

Why on earth would Brian think there was anything untoward in paying $500.00 to stay HERE for 9 days altogether?

Click:
http://toimages.us.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=TO&Date=20050512&Category=SRRARECOINS&ArtNo=305120017&Ref=H5&MaxW=500&title=1

Here's a Toledo Blade article which has a photo of Noe's NEW Florida house. Good lordalmighty! http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050512/SRRARECOINS/305120017

IChing's posted article cracks me up with the last paragraph. You just have to snicker:

A Taft spokesman said Thursday that the governor would be disappointed if Hicks and Carroll were found to have violated ethics laws.

Say goodbye to Brian!

He's lying through his teeth.

Then again, he's a republican. That's pretty much all they do, right?

:puke:

WEWS Cleveland, channel 5 news "investigated" ODNR employees getting great rental rates on park properties:

http://www.newsnet5.com/theinvestigator/4774740/detail.html

Maybe used to muddy up the investigation into Taft's lackey?

http://toimages.us.publicus.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=TO&Date=20050512&Category=SRRARECOINS&ArtNo=305120017&Ref=V8&MaxW=500&title=1 CLICK ON THIS TO SEE WHAT $500 A WEEK IS TOO MUCH

This home at 122 Court Contessa in Islamorada, Fla., is a vacation home formerly owned by Tom and Bernadette Noe. Gov. Bob Taft’s former chief of staff rented the home for $300 to $500 for a week.

"It's tough to get anything in season on a canal for less than $3,000 a week," said Glenn Hoover, a manager with Florida Keys Vacation Rentals, who added Mr. Noe's former neighborhood is considered "a very popular area."

He really got off with a tap on the wrist.

lawyers out there?